Taopix, the world’s leading provider of white label photobook and photo gift software launches a universal print manufacturing facility complete with truly global shipping options to create the most comprehensive and wide reaching fulfilment platform available anywhere in the photo commerce software industry.

The photobook and photo gifts industry is dominated by 2 types of business. On the one hand the print industry, renowned for high quality finished products but often playing catch-up in ecommerce experience and digital marketing expertise. On the other hand, ecommerce giants and recognisable retail brands that often lack experience in print manufacturing and drop shipping. Where businesses succeed in both camps, they are often domestically strong but limited internationally.

Taopix powers the digital economy in the photo space and has gained the reputation as market leader in the provision of white label photobook and photo gift software. During its 10 year domination of the industry Taopix has observed that print manufacturing and drop shipping experience has often been a barrier to entry for many very successful ecommerce and/or Retail businesses in building their own photo book or photo gift revenue stream. For companies well versed in printing and shipping, expansion outside of their own product capability or geography has proved equally challenging.

Another important issue in the photobook sector is cart abandonment. A recent study has indicated that a significant number of abandoned photobook projects are abandoned due to high shipping costs and long deliver timescales, 2 problems typically associated with not printing locally to the consumer.

Taopix solves all of the above challenges as it launches TaoPrint, a cloud based solution that allows any business to manufacture thousands of different photo book and personalised gift products and have them shipped to anywhere in the world. If you’re already a printer, TaoPrint lets you expand your business beyond your current product and geographical capabilities. Furthermore, TaoPrint allows you to manufacture products near to the location of the consumer thus reducing shipping costs and delivery times, a significant help in growing customer acquisition and conversion and a major contributor to lowering cart abandonment.

“The key to growing a very successful personalised photo book and gift business is the ability to sell such products to a large captive customer base and to be fully equipped with the necessary digital marketing skill set required to compete on the Internet.” says James Gray, Founder and CEO of Taopix. “ While born out of the print industry, Taopix is actually a tech company empowering the digital economy with the ability to create and sell amazing photo-based personalised products. All too often software providers in our space take for granted the experience needed in print manufacture and drop shipping to make such businesses viable.” continues Gray.

TaoPrint is a new component within the Taopix platform for manufacturing over 5000 different physical products anywhere in the world and shipping them directly to the end consumer, similarly anywhere in the world. TaoPrint will do this at the most optimal cost commensurate with the consumer’s desired delivery times. Seamlessly integrated in to the overall Taopix user experience, TaoPrint will completely unburden successful e-tail and retail businesses from the need to orchestrate their own manufacturing and drop shipping capability. At the same time, TaoPrint will enable existing printers to significantly expand their current capabilities.

“TaoPrint is ground-breaking and serves 2 key market opportunities for Taopix customers.” Steffen Haaga, Commercial Director for Taopix explains. “Firstly, if you’re a successful ecommerce business wishing to launch a photo/personalized gift business, you no longer need to think about manufacturing and drop shipping. It is no longer a barrier to entry. By choosing the Taopix platform, you can successfully launch your photo/personalization business globally and be instantly connected to a global manufacturing and shipping network by default. Secondly, if you are a print manufacturer currently offering photo/personalization products, TaoPrint can massively increase your own product range or geographic reach without needing to limit your business to only products you yourself can manufacture in places where you are physically located.” continues Haaga.

TaoPrint is a connector, an API, but a very powerful one. Behind the scenes TaoPrint is connected to hundreds of print manufacturers worldwide, but not just any manufacturers. Each print facility connected to TaoPrint is prequalified and rigorously tested.

In addition, TaoPrint is connected to over 250 logistics companies worldwide, providing an incredible array of shipping options every time a customer orders a product. TaoPrint uses a sophisticated algorithmic learning engine to seamlessly choose the most appropriate location for printing based on hundreds of criteria ranging from the nature of the product to be printed to the performance and track record of each printer on the TaoPrint network. The shipping options can be set up automatically as defaults or left to the consumer to choose from an array of the best options provided automatically by TaoPrint.

“While TaoPrint is a fully automated intelligent engine, all of our customers will be able to build their own manufacturing and shipping ‘over-rides.” says Kevin Gale, Co-Founder and CTO of Taopix. “That way, our customers who are printers themselves can maximize manufacturing at their own facility while simultaneously offering a wider range of products than they themselves can’t currently make.” continues Gale.

TaoPrint has been developed in an exclusive partnership with Cloudprinter.com, the Netherlands based start-up founded by Mogens Winther and Martijn Eier, both highly respected members of the digital print and photo commerce community. “We are enormously excited about the launch of TaoPrint.” says Martijn Eier, Co-Founder of Cloudprinter.com. “It is a perfect use case for the Cloudprinter.com solution and I believe it will power significant value for Taopix’ customers.” concludes Eier.

TaoPrint will be available from Q4 2018 onwards.

Come and talk to both Taopix and Cloudprinter.com at Photokina in Cologne in September.